Great question.

1)For me, the story has to be detailed, original and relatable in an RPG.  But then in a platform game it can be short, vague and weird or cutesy or whatever-and shooters I think have the most leeway for me.  That's really all about tactics and reflexes and an arcade like action, so I don't really take in the story so much as ready myself for the next level.

2)Potential for exploration.  In RPGs this is a must.  Having side quests to further embellish the storyline and characters is what makes these games so enamoring.  Not only do you gain relics or weapons that help, get to experience sometimes obscure game secrets, and see some special little part of the story-but you also gain experience points for the levels you need to gain anyway.  The only RPG I liked without this was Legend of Dragoon.  For scrollers, even Mario had secret levels and flutes and shortcuts-those make it awesome!

3)Graphics.  Pure and simple.  A lot of what I love about games is that they're like cartoons I can play.  Details and appropriate color schemes are the key.  I actually love the SNES, PS1 and 64 graphics the best out of anything to date-and I attribute it to artistic details that enrich the story and help submerse you into the world within the game.  Mario 64 is a great example of how simple, cartoon like graphics with appropriate concepts and color schemes really pull one into the game.

4)Characters.  Got to have good characters for a rich storyline and locale-affecting the graphics.  Their personalities have to clash, or relate in genuine or at least relatable ways.  Plus, the different characters usually have their own skill sets-which you use to traverse the game-so this really affects gameplay. 

5)A lot of people said that game controls are important to them, but not to me.  Part of the fun of playing new games is practicing and mastering the new controls.  Even on here, I have to get used to using a keyboard to play these games.  But difficulty and ability to gain strength through levels or weapons really makes a game great for. 

GetGot18 :
Ah thanks GetGot.  I'll look into that a bit more.  Just one more thing...I see that you're a newbie too-so how did you get that graphic to show beneath your name on this board.  I totally just want a simple graphic of Kefka from FFVI on mine and don't know how to do it. 

Mwa ha ha!
-Kefka

Ahh.  Thanks thenumberone!

That does explain the whole licensing thing to me.  I just wondered how the site was able to rent out these games for non substantiated currency like Viz and still not have to charge membership fees.  I think that's totally awesome that the copyrights expire and game manufacturers allow their old hits to become public domain.  That's so awesome considering that if you were to attempt to collect the physical cartridges and discs with consoles in any reasonably good shape, it would cost quite a bit and not offer any comforting guarantees for your investment as to whether you'll get a reliable and/or durable product.

Now...I guess to keep conversation going, are there any programmers or hackers out there who know the inner technical workings of video game programming?  I've wondered how these things were possible ever since I learned the basics of computer programming.  I assume there must be shortcuts or standardized templates to save not only time but space and editing efforts when it comes to rendering things like lighting and sound.  In raw code, the details of angles associated with hues, shades and tints-as well as audio tones synchronized with frames within the game must be extremely cumbersome and daunting.

Anyone out there know the technology and the trade?  I'd love to hear from ya!

Mwa ha ha!
-Kefka

Hey there GetGot!

I'm pretty new to this site too, but still offer my welcome to ya!  This is an awesome site that I've enjoyed for many hours already.  Also, I wanted to ask one of your greeters or you if you know-what is the white badge contest?

Mwa ha ha
-Kefka

Dude, I couldn't agree more.  I can appreciate and enjoy the new generation of games and consoles too, but there is just a nostalgic and artistic romanticism about the older consoles.  My first was a Commodore 64, and that introduced me to things like pitfall, Mission Impossible, G.I. Joe and got me liking video games.  But once the NES came out and I was introduced to Zelda and the Mario series that was it.  I was gonna be a lifer-a grown man that loved video games.  I actually have collected the retro consoles and some games.  I have all the Nintendos with their Zelda and Mario releases and some other games of personal interest, but it's very difficult to find some of them and sometimes very expensive when you do.


This site is totally a godsend for people who just want to play those games with the cartoony, but rich sounds and images.  There is also a lot of depth in the story lines and let's not forget, the memories.  One of the reasons I chose my screen name is my memories of playing FFIII (on SNES) with my brother and dad and just being blown away by the incredible displays before me.  I may have chosen a Zelda or Mario one too, but I was sure they would all be taken.  Anyway, I've rambled on long enough.  Nice to "meet" ya.  Enjoy!

Hey everyone, I'm pretty new to the site and was wondering a few things about how this thing operates. 

First of all, I have pretty limited understanding of programming-I have training in Java and know how to program rudimentary functions like while and if loops and some display and calculation type functions.  So I was wondering what type of language is used in programming these games and all of their pretty complex visual and sound displays.  Is there just a massive body of code, or are there standardized bodies of code used for specific functions like lighting, three dimensional space, sound programs, etc.?

Secondly, what exactly does the emulator do?  I understand it to be a sort of translator for the code being streamed and read-and it is what actually translates the coded game file into video and audio that we all enjoy.  But again, this is only my understanding of it and I am hardly an expert on the matter.

Also, how does licensing work on a site like this?  To rent out these games using Viz, does there need to be a business agreement with Nintendo, Sega, Commodore, etc?  Or is it specifically through game manufacturers like Enix or Squaresoft or that type of thing? 

Perhaps some dorky questions to ask, but I'm always fascinated in how things physically work.  It's like a decoding of the physical world we all experience-and I've always been the boy who took things apart and had to know how they worked.

Mwa ha ha ha!
-Kefka

Nice review.  I just got done beating the original again-God!  Brings back memories!  Anyway, I was definitely curious about this version and found your review pretty detailed, comprehensive and helpful (as I was wondering what was different or changed about the game.)  I'm about to start it now!  (Especially since the Super Mario RPG keeps freezing on me!  Gotta move on.)
 
-Thanks!